


Immemorial

by DancingLunarWolves



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Memorial Day, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-06 06:42:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11030754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DancingLunarWolves/pseuds/DancingLunarWolves
Summary: Immemorial: beyond memory, before record, time-honoured, past the reach of knowledge, tradition.To the time that they served, the memories that they made, and the friends and family that they'd lost.A Zootopia adaptation of this Memorial Day, and an insightful tribute in honour of those that have fallen.





	1. Salute

**Author's Note:**

> See the inspirational art here:
> 
> ([R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R](http://thewinterbunny.deviantart.com/art/R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R-680706662/)) (Winter's DA)
> 
> ([Remembering-at-the-Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier](http://jknight97.deviantart.com/art/Remembering-at-the-Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier-680715603/)) (JKnight's DA)

Hey all, DLW here with the Memorial Day fic that I promised. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright, Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

A huge thank you goes out to JKnight97 for editing the final copy of the chapter and his overall inspiration to the story, and TheWinterBunny for the art that was commissioned and inspired me.

Special thank you goes to: Sergeant Sargent II, Senestran, Spinster 4 hire, Starwisher Midnight, Froststudios45, and Drummer Max for allowing me to either use their characters or sharing a story in honour of Memorial Day.

And JKnight97 has a few words for you all:

To the men and women who serve and protect their country, not just the members of the Armed Forces, but the members of the Police, Fire and First Responders organizations as well. We salute your bravery, courage and for risking your lives every day to make ours safer.

Thank you!

* * *

Salute

* * *

A still, silent breath left the bunny as she craned her head towards the sky. The bright glimmer of afternoon sun shone magnificently and morosely upon the iron gate she had been staring at silently for the past minute or so.

Barely blinking at the lettering and trying her best not to move forward out of both fear of the unknown and a heavy heart, Judy sighed yet again. _Why here?_ she wondered, idly playing with the tip of her ear that fell to her shoulder.

They hadn't stood up in days, much like how she felt: down, and not finding their strength for any real reason.

It even showed in her work ethic, which was usually above and beyond. But now - from the slower response times to the pile of paperwork that seemed to be only gaining height and dust by the second - she was on the decline. For the doe was tired, and her life had been changed in an instant.

Her eyelids felt heavy as she trailed over the letters again, and again. She couldn't tell how many times she had mentally mulled over the iron sign reading "Meadowlands Memorial Park - South Gate", but with every letter, she felt the weight of it press down on her badge, and in her heart.

Footpads feeling like concrete on the pathway that welcomed her, Judy couldn't fathom the idea of moving forward, but she surely couldn't turn back. Having taken a Zuber to get here (that had already left for another destination) and being told to come here on her day off, she didn't know what to truly do.

So she idly picked at a loose piece of fabric on her dress blues; she thought it appropriate to wear them here. Though, it bothered her to no end that there were frayed spots despite how tidy she was. And truthfully she needed the distraction more than anything else, so she was at least satisfied with trying (and failing) to get that one little string to cooperate.

While busying herself in picking at the wretched fabric, her ears picked up heavy footfalls; though they themselves never rose from her shoulders.

"Hopps." called a gruff voice, as deep as it was commanding. In a matter of seconds, her small form was enveloped in deep shade.

Immediately, Judy stopped herself from her distracted task and looked up into the stern visage of her superior. She gave a hasty (albeit messy) salute.

"Chief!" She snapped to attention, voice squeaking and feeling her paw quiver at her forehead. Judy knew that the moment may come where she was told everything that she feared, but didn't want it to be this soon.

Her heart skipped a few beats and she had to swallow from the dry spots forming in her throat. Whatever the outcome may be for her in the situation, she hoped it would be over quickly.

However, upon seeing Bogo calmly stare at her - completely different from his general stonecold, dismissive demeanor - she didn't know what exactly to think.

For one, he wasn't in uniform... well, not the uniform that she had seen him in on duty. In the midday sun, she could clearly see the deep shade of black on his shirt and dark blue of his pants. It was a uniform that completely contrasted his dress blues he had worn for so long.

His police badge was now accompanied by smaller badges, pins, and medals of varying degrees; many of which she had never seen. And most peculiar was a logo with the Animalia flag on either shoulder.

This was an outfit that she had known very well: a military uniform.

Frozen in place and raising a brow, she watched as Bogo sighed and gave her a salute that didn't fail in its precision.

"At ease, Judy." he said, surprisingly informally.

Only nodding and lowering her paw, she felt as though something was missing. _Did... did the chief serve?_ she wondered, but never got a chance to ask then as he spoke before her, "You're not on duty, but you're here for a good reason."

His form and stature remained unchanged as he addressed her. It wasn't until he ended his salute and lowered his hoof that he relaxed his posture; it put Judy's current form of welcome to shame.

Taking a deep breath, the doe closed her eyes and looked anywhere but at him. "I know." she deadpanned, feeling a bitter chill course down her spine as she stood in his looming shadow.

It was an odd feeling for her. This... sense of brokenness. She didn't need to fear the chief for any reason, but she knew that she had let him down; let _them_ down.

"Do you?" Was his sharp reply.

She flinched a little at his words and - though only two - tensed at their implication like she was to enter a thicket of thorns.

Taking a moment to nod without looking at him, Judy hugged herself, her paws clasping at her shoulders. Had it not been for a single tear that obscured her vision, she would have tried to look up.

Bogo looked down at her, folded his arms behind him and nodded. "Then you understand why I asked you to come here today. Correct?"

A beat of silence before she nodded. "Memorial Day, sir." Her voice trailing off, she recalled many instances of the stories of the day. There were countless stories that Pop-pop told her about the times in his day: the heroism, the strife, the glories and sorrows. But she never once thought she'd be here to experience them.

The buffalo grunted, "And?"

She didn't know when, but her short claws had begun to make small holes in the sleeve of her uniform. "Because I-" she choked. "b-because... he-"

Wrenching her eyes shut, every synapse in her mind fired off; the scene playing over and over in her head. _If I could've just-_

"Officer Hopps."

Her eyes shot open the moment she heard her name being called from the familiar voice. With a single tear streaming down her cheek, she looked around the towering buffalo and saw a blue clad orange furred figure carefully pad his way over.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "Nick?" she questioned, completely stunned by his appearance at the park. "Wha...what are you doing here?"

The fox wordlessly walked over, his tail gently brushing against the ground. Much like Judy his work ethic had changed over the past few days, and his fur looked a bit disheveled.

Surprisingly in his uniform and displaying his badge neatly, the fox walked beside her and offered a weak smile. She could tell by the way his eyes drooped that he either hadn't slept much or was tired from the shift; it could've been both.

Nodding back to him, she curiously raised a brow at the stalwart buffalo. He sighed and pointed at her.

"Though I only told _you_ to come here, Offi-" Stopping midway to look over his other subordinate, Bogo flicked his hoof in the fox's direction. " _Nick_ insisted that he join as well." he added, fully aware that they were technically off duty and wanted to relax as much as he could given the place they were.

Judy's glossy eyes trailed over her partner who stood by her side. She was glad to have him still with her after all of this happened; and, for a time, she was sure that he would have left the ZPD.

The two small officers reunited, Chief Bogo repeated himself. " _Again_ , Judy. Do you know why you're here?"

Judy was afraid that this would come: the blame, the regret, all of it all over again.

Deeply, she drew in a breath of warm, spring air and tried to form her words appropriately.

"Because we..." _Was it because of them_? she asked herself, drawing her eyes away from Nick's form entirely. She couldn't bear to have him to blame for her mistakes. "I-i didn't-"

Unexpectedly, she felt the ground under her tremble slightly; the shadow looming over her shrank to a mere sliver of itself. She looked up to see that Bogo had knelt to be closer to her height, his eyes filled with concern that he didn't often show.

"That wasn't your fault, Judy." he stated, voice calm and soothing despite his gruff undertone.

She felt her throat seize as he said that. How could he not blame her?

Immediately, her arms unclasped themselves as she began to gesticulate. "But I froze!" she said with a wave of her paw, nearly hitting her partner in the process. "I was supposed to act! I-i could've-"

Before she got another word in, a heavy weight fell upon her shoulders. It took a moment for her to realize that the chief had placed his hoof there.

His deep, honey-brown eyes gave her only the slightest feeling of comfort amidst the turmoil she was experiencing. "You did the best that you could in the situation, Hopps." he soothed, looking at Nick as well. "You both did."

Her paw twitching involuntarily, she tried to speak up. "But I-"

Not hearing it, Bogo took his hoof from her shoulder and waved it dismissively in front of her. "And," She fell silent. "Had you gone any further, I would have likely had to have buried _two_ or _three_ officers."

Nervously, she craned her towards Nick. She could see the fox's tail jerk in one direction before it stopped moving altogether.

The sting of his words continued as he rose. "It's unwise for you or anyone to attempt to stop a moving vehicle in just your dress blues, Judy."

"I-"

"Hopps, listen," Her protest fell with the point of the chief's hoof. "I brought you, both of you, out here today to gain a better perspective."

While the doe tried to find her voice, her fox spoke up. "Perspective, sir?" Nick had been curious as well as to exactly what Bogo wanted him out here for. Not that he didn't already know or pretend not to know, but he questioned why he had reservations about coming here.

Since Judy was off that day with him working only the first part of the early shift to finish paperwork, the chief had allowed him to take the rest of the day to assist his partner; he couldn't say no.

Bogo nodded and waved his hoof at them. "About _your_ service," He then turned, walking through the gate as if he were ushering them to the world that they never knew; he didn't look back. " _And_ about theirs."

_Theirs_? Judy wondered, watching the buffalo walk down the pathway. _Did he mean-_

Her eyes trailed over the large park. She had never been there before, but she could only assume who ' _they_ ' were to some degree. Her head hung low as one of them was there now because of her hesitation.

She was about to wrap her arms around herself again, but a warmth encompassed her; as familiar as it was inviting. A soft curtain of reddish-orange had found its way around her smaller form, Nick had her in his arms.

Stunned at his display, Judy shook lightly. His emerald green eyes seemed duller than usual, and his arms felt slightly heavier than just a few days ago.

Quietly she whispered a 'thank you' for both his presence and comfort that it brought. Yet a bellowing "Come along," from the chief made her act accordingly.

Sighing deeply and shuffling her steps as slowly as her rabbit feet would allow, Judy made her way inside. She mulled and mused over what she'd see and experience when she realized that Nick was doing the same: scraping his foot-claws on the ground and his posture anything but straight.

He was exhausted, she could tell.

As the two followed their superior down the path that lead into the main park, the doe couldn't help but take in the scenery. None of it was like anything she expected from a memorial park, but that was something that had always surprised her about Zootopia: the sheer amount of care and concern for detail the city planners had.

The path was lined with shrubbery of all kinds and every now and again there was a well-maintained bench or two. And from the foliage, growing up in a family where plant husbandry was their thing, she was impressed. They were meticulously trimmed and vibrantly green. Not a single branch stuck out or was seen without a keen eye.

Just ahead of them stood a flagpole on a slightly elevated hill covered in numerous flowers. And being just past noon, its flag (bearing Animalia's logo) was still at half mast. It was Memorial Day, after all.

It wasn't until she looked up that Judy realized that the chief had stopped just ahead of them. His hoof was at brow level, giving a curt salute to three other mammals that stood just in front of him: a timber wolf, a pig, and a polar bear.

Though they were a short distance away and in uniforms that bore a resemblance to Bogo's, Judy immediately recognized them all. Needless to say, she was shocked.

"M-mayor Luproc?" she began, addressing the wolf with a book in one paw. He had become the acting mayor since Dawn's scandal had come to an end. The wolf had since made significant changes to the city, and tried to promote unity for all species equally. A feat that wasn't perfectly achievable, but the mammal beside him made it a bit easier.

It was the pig that stood by his side in the election. "Assistant Mayor Swinton?" Judy could have never guessed that the pig was in any form of service outlet, it seemed so surreal. Yet there she stood by the wolf with a smile and slightly different colours from the rest of them; her sleeves in a white trim and bearing a gleaming hat with a winged symbol.

As surprised as she was to see the two, the third mammal she had only surmised had served in some way. "Major Friedkin?" she added, looking deep into the eyes of her former drill instructor. The bear's uniform had anchors on the sleeves and one of the badges she wore had the symbol of a seal on it. She had often wondered about Friedkin, and why she was called the ' _Ursa Major_ ' from time to time. So it was not a big step for her to see the bear here.

As she and Nick now stood in front of them they all smiled and saluted them; the rookie cops returned the gesture.

"At ease." instructed their chief.

In doing so, the duo cops got a good look at them all: servants of the city on multiple occasions, and having served in the field as well.

Judy swallowed, "You all served?"

There were raised brows all around, but Friedkin was the first to roll her eyes. "Yes, Hopps. We all served."

Hearing the cities finest acknowledge their involvement in going above and beyond the call, Judy's heart rose a little.

"You caught us at a good time too," The bear went on and waved a paw at the wolf who stared daggers at her. "We were just sharin' some old stories about 'Lu _prick_ ' over here."

The lupine mayor heaved a heavy sigh while his assistant chuckled at him. "I've told you not to call me-"

Friedkin ignored him. "When we were still in training, this joker tried to hotwire the sarge's car and take us to a bar." She gesticulated, waving her paws to both the wolf and the buffalo as if they'd been friends since time began.

Judy heard a deep toned laugh and didn't recognize it at first. But when she looked up, it was Bogo. He pointed at the tired timber wolf who had his ears pinned to his head. "The fool fried himself and then had to do laps for an hour. All of us had to join him and one of us kept saying that if she caught up to him he was dead."

_How could they laugh at a time like this?_ Judy thought, wondering what was going on. _Don't they know that_ -

Swinton, having scoffed at the short story, finally chimed in. "You're telling _me_. He almost got me kicked off the base on a bet with a low-flying biplane!"

Her scowl towards him made him shuffle a few steps back and shrug nonchalantly. "Y'know... If you need help the next time you flub a mission and need rescue, you're gonna have to get another ' _big bad wolf_ '." he shot back.

"Your aim was bad enough..." The sow flicked her left ear to show a small hole near its base. A clear indication of some wound long since made.

Luproc huffed, "That was _one_ time!"

Shaking her head at the exchange, Swinton nodded towards Judy and Nick. " _Anyways_ ," She shot a glare at the wolf "I'm off to see the grave and pay our respects." She gave a small wave and walked off onto the path before she called out, "Chao, mutt. Have fun with the ' _Shout A Lot_ ' couple."

Taken aback by her unusual tone and demeanor, Judy glanced over to what she thought was the aforementioned couple: Bogo and Friedkin. They coughed into their respective appendages and looked away from one another.

Judy's mouth hung a little low when she saw this spectacle, and Nick went into a coughing fit.

While her superiors composed themselves, the wolf mayor simply sighed and started to walk off to the park entrance. "I'll leave you two alone then," he stated, smiling at the book in his paws, his tail wagging slightly.

Curious, Judy inquired, "Where are you going?"

The mayor stopped and looked at her, his icy blue eyes trailing between the two partners. "Me? Since I don't want to be near _that_ every year," he gestured with a smile, shifting from the buddy cops to the grimacing buffalo and bear. "I usually take some time to read with the rest of my squad."

_His squad_? Judy mused, seeing nobody else around but them.

The canid's paw brushed over the little book with reverence, he held it up for them to see. "Yeah, it was something me and my squad did when we were on tours: pick a book and read it now and then." His beaming smile broke a little; his lip curled downward. "We, uh... we each took a few bookmarks and placed it on the last page we all read whenever one of us was gone."

Just then he showed the top of the book, revealing several tags placed within. Judy's heart fell, and Nick's eyes tore away.

The air around them stagnant, the wolf sniffled a little. "I've never finished the book, but it's always good to see my old pack again."

Tucking the book under his arm and looking around, the mayor smiled at a little bench just a bit away. "I'll catch yall later," he said with a bit of enthusiasm in his tone before he walked off.

The two partners stood in sheer awe at their mayor and his ways. Though they hadn't known him in person for long, they were glad that he at least tried and was as sentimental as he had shown during his time in the city council.

Before either could speak to one another, their names "Wilde, Hopps," came from their instructors. Which one said it, or if it was both, was completely oblivious to them.

"Chief? Major?" They replied in unison, snapping to attention.

The buffalo and bear sighed and nodded towards one another, the two cops were still learning.

Bogo lifted a hoof and pointed down the trail that Swinton had gone earlier. "Follow her," he said sternly. "She'll show you around."

The bunny gazed down the long stretch of the pathway and clearly recalled the pig's words: grave and respects.

Now feeling the heaviness catch up to her from being here, the doe swallowed as she knew she couldn't refuse. And not wanting to keep the chief waiting, Judy nodded and began to pad her way there.

So it was upon her first footstep that sudden brush of fur swept at her side. Nick matched his pace to hers on the long journey, and she was glad to have it that way.

For Judy couldn't fathom the site of a grave that she felt responsible for alone.

* * *

Hey all, I hope you're enjoying the story so far.

This is something I wanted to do for a while in honour of the family and friends that I know are serving in various sections of the armed forces. They're very close to me and I'm happy to support them in any way that I can because the unexpected can happen at any moment to any of 's great is that a few authors and artists shared some insight with me about things that I had never

What's great about this fic is that a few authors and artists shared some insight with me about things that I had never known or stories that I'd never heard of.

That being said, there are three more chapters and I hope to leave behind a little something for all of you ^_^

Take time to thank someone that served and honour those that stood in to serve in your place. I've got a few calls to make soon.

**[Other Sites]**

This story can be seen here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

Happy Memorial Day  
**-DLW**


	2. Indivisible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See the inspirational art here:
> 
> ([R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R](http://thewinterbunny.deviantart.com/art/R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R-680706662/)) (Winter's DA)
> 
> ([Remembering-at-the-Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier](http://jknight97.deviantart.com/art/Remembering-at-the-Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier-680715603/)) (JKnight's DA)

Hey all. And so the story continues. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright, Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

A huge thank you goes out to JKnight97 for reading and editing the final copy of the chapter and his overall inspiration to the story, and TheWinterBunny for the art that was commissioned and inspired me.

Special thank you goes to: Sergeant Sargent II, Senestran, Spinster 4 hire, Starwisher Midnight, Froststudios45, and Drummer Max for allowing me to either use their characters or sharing a story in honour of Memorial Day.

* * *

Indivisible

* * *

Nick and Judy traveled along the path the moment Bogo had told them to go. It was quiet, somber... daunting as the cascade of strong oak trees passed them by.

While it was a simple task for the two rookie cops to follow the pig, their steps were ladened with grief, and their hearts sank below their badges.

Hearing the light click of Nick's foot-claws, Judy sighed. She was grateful that he had come here with her, and more than happy to have him still standing by her side after this whole ordeal. Yet... in her mind, she faulted herself for causing him to be there in the first place.

Again, she felt like she failed everyone.

Mulling over the severity of her actions (to her, lack thereof) something brushed against her tail. And knowing full well that Nick was a prankster - more so of a complete child with everything that he did - she scrunched up her face and stared at him, only to relax her features the moment she saw the pain held deep within his eyes.

"You okay, Carrots?" he asked quietly, playfully swishing his tail into her. Nervously he scratched at the nape of his neck as if he was dreading the answer he already knew she would say. "You haven't been yourself since... it happened."

Judy was sure it was just to ease her tension, but she was glad for the distraction on the path. In the short time that Nick had been there on the force with her, he made her job (and life) a little more difficult, but also a lot more exciting. Just about everything he did was frustrating and endearing to some degree, she couldn't imagine being there without him now.

But still, his words made her shudder. _He didn't have to come here._

Before long, she stopped on the pathway. Her eyes veered off to the side where she saw the glimmer of orange sun reflecting off of a large lake, and Nick stopped just ahead of her.

Judy's paws started to tremble. "I should've _acted_ , Nick." her voice was squeaky and her vision was blurred. "I-I just-"

She was silenced by the fox gently placing his paws on her shoulders, and bending down to her eye level.

The Nick's paw slowly wiped away at her chin, and her amethyst eyes stared deeply into his own. The tired expression he bore had long since left form that was full of compassion.

"Carrots," he whispered, drawing a slow breath. "You... I mean we-"

Being here somewhat upset him. The somber truth about one passing so close was something that Nick hadn't considered in a long while. And to think that it may have been Judy had he not acted instinctively in order to protect her? Still, though, the fox's head hung a little lower and his ears couldn't stand. _If only I acted sooner..._

A stern "Ahem," stopped Nick from expressing his thoughts. And though flustered more than anything that he didn't get a chance to speak to Judy about the issue, the fox's curiosity lead him to turn around.

Just a few meters away, a pig stood in the middle of the path; either side of her was lined with floral decorations of some kind. From that distance, they looked exactly like Swinton, but something was off about them.

For one she was clad in dress blues much like his and Judy's: badge proudly displayed, emblems of the ZPD on both shoulders, and immaculately maintained. The only real difference was the oversized hat that covered the small tuft of hair and flattened her ears. Her lime-green eyes stared at them, unmoving and as stalwart as the chief's themselves.

She huffed at them. "So _you're_ Nick. Aren't you?" The flash of her hoof shot directly at him and he swallowed before nodding. It wasn't even a second before she shifted to his partner. "Then that makes _you_ Judy."

The doe nodded and questioningly looked at Nick. It was clear that this _wasn't_ Swinton. A guard of the park or officer on patrol maybe, but definitely not the Assistant Mayor of Zootopia.

Satisfied with her find, the pig did a heel-face turn and waved for them to follow. "C'mon. We've been expecting you two."

A bit taken aback from both her appearance and the fact that she said they were being expected, the partners cautiously followed.

Their short walk behind the swine lead them onto an open field with rolling hills. Amidst the waving sea of green grass was an array of large white stones that stretched out as far as one could see, and farther beyond that still.

Being near the crest of one of the hills and walking down cemented stairs, Judy could see numerous mammals gathered scattered about. It took her only a second to realize where they were and she instantly felt her heart shatter.

They were at the Meadowlands Memorial Gravesite.

As slowly as her feet let her, the doe tiptoed down each step. Going only at a snail's pace, she was surprised to see Nick beside her the whole time. _Why's he doing this_? she wondered. _Is he trying to cheer me on_? _Does he feel responsible too_?

It took them a full minute to reach the landing of the short flight of stairs, and had Friedkin been around she would have likely judged them on their timing.

When they had both finally set foot in front of a rather impatient looking porcine police officer, the sow sighed and shook her head. "I'm told to get you, and you drag your feet like they have anchors on them."

Judy barely managed to mumble a 'sorry' as that's how she felt: weighted down.

The pig dismissed their behavior and lead them to the first line of headstones off the path. Each of them were etched with names of those long since gone and every single one of them waved a small flag on its top.

What was curious to Judy was that they weren't all Animalia flags that were waving. No. Nearly _all_ the countries that she had known of were represented to some degree.

As she pondered this, a familiar voice (strong and bold) picked her ear up; though only just a little. "About time you got here. I was wondering if you'd gotten lost." Judy looked around and caught sight of not one, but two other pigs quickly approaching them.

One of which she knew was Assistant Mayor Swinton from the uniform and decorations. The other, though similar in features - clearly female and clad in a floral designed business suit - was completely unfamiliar.

It wasn't until the two other pigs had joined their small group and casually spoke to one another that Judy fit the last piece of the puzzle. "There's _three_ of you?"

Their small talk ceased and it was the one dressed in her military uniform that spoke. "Yes, dear. There are _three_ of us."

"I'm Delilah, Assistant Mayor, and the smart one," she said, waving off the stares of her sisters nodding of her left. "I see you've met Maria. Corrections Officer, and the strict one," The sow in dress blues huffed and Delilah continued. "And this is Nora. Social Service Worker, and the one you don't want to cross." The only one among them not dressed in some form of service uniform gave them a quick nod of approval.

Unsure whether to wave or salute, Judy took the later option only to be stopped midway by the trio of pigs starting to walk away.

"Follow us," commanded Delilah, taking point in their group and heading down one of the aisles of graves. "Your chief told us you'd need someone to show you around."

Silently, Judy and Nick did so. They weaved and wove around headstones, mindful not to disturb the resting places just beneath. It was far quieter than either could have imagined and so much more peaceful despite the memories that every step brought.

Being so far in, both wanted to let their minds just wander and not think of the past, but the few others there drew their attention. They passed by numerous mammals, none of which Judy recognized, but Nick surely knew.

One of them, a Corsac Fox, knelt in front of a grave. He wore a multi-cam uniform with his sleeves rolled back. The silver tags that hung loosely around his neck swayed in rhythm to the slow brush of his tail. He spoke in a low tone that Judy couldn't pick up, and he eyed Delilah for no more than a second before turning back to the headstone.

Before long, they stopped; an immeasurable number of graves around them, but just one they came to see.

The Swinton sisters wordlessly surrounded the marker, each one of them at its feet as they as they stood to face the engraving above. And, in unison, they all saluted it as if they were graduating from the academy. Not the moment after, a deep bellowing sound resonated throughout the area.

Judy's ears lifted themselves halfway to pinpoint the source of the sound, and in doing so, she saw several tall poles bearing speakers atop them. The hum of a tune that played was familiar enough to her: a bugler sounding ' _Taps_ '.

Not fully understanding who this mammal was, or their significance to the pigs, Judy followed suit- for once, Nick beat her to it, he snapped to attention the second they did.

For nearly a minute they held their pose as the music played. Deep breaths drawn, and the warm spring breeze lightly brushing through their fur, they paid their respects to one fallen in the field of many. And even when the music ceased, the few that stood around the grave held their salute for a moment longer before they finally came to ease.

A long beat of silence held them each. There was a curiosity about it all that drew Judy more and more into what was happening.

It was Nora who answered her unspoken inquiry. "This is our father, Guillen Swinton."

Sure enough, etched, embezzled, and embossed into the large white headstone was the pig's name. The two officers now knew why they were there: to gain perspective about their service.

Judy whispered a quick 'sorry for your loss' before Delilah stopped her.

"We all know what happened, and nobody blames you for it, either of you." The sow's tone was soft and almost motherly. "Did you know him?"

Nick scratched his chin and responded, "Not... not a lot."

As the two cops hung their heads in remorse, their memories overlapped one another.

It had been nearly two weeks since the day of that call that brought them here. A simple evening patrol turned into a tragic chase. It started off like the few others that she had experienced with Nick, but he was not a little more experienced.

And while he was still a rookie trying to fit his way in, one of their newest had been assigned to the beat from another precinct: a possum that went by the name Phillips (Phil for short), though Kyle was his first name.

Phil had come to their division and became instant friends with Nick. He had even given him his tacky 'Nick' names within ten seconds: ' _Philosum-posum_ ', ' _Twitchy Tail_ ', and (for whatever reason) ' _Boomerang_ '. Oddly enough, Judy couldn't tell if he hated them or not.

He had only been there a few days when he was called in to assist their patrol. The three of them were in hot pursuit of several thieves, none of which were armed but they were undeniably cunning.

They had chased them into one of the busy parts of Savanna Central and nearly had them cornered down an alleyway. When their vehicle came to a stop and they had to chase on foot, Phil had taken point due to his better vision.

That's when things went horribly, completely wrong.

By the time Judy heard her name being called, a vehicle that had been hidden away had torn down the alleyway at incredible speed. In its blinding light that the three cops had to shield themselves from, not even excellent night vision would aid any of them in their cause.

Stunned, Judy felt herself being forced to the ground, a heavy force falling next to her. Blinking slowly from the ordeal, she managed to force her eyes open for a moment and saw that Nick was on the ground with her.

Mind a haze from the spots in her vision, she looked up to see the possum with paws stretched out and blinking, the car barreling towards him.

The hike of her breath as she reached out was cut short as the vehicle zoomed over them, her ears rung from the sound of the exhaust heading out of the alleyway.

By the time the smoke cleared and the dust settled, Nick and Judy could only look on in horror as their friend lay motionless a few feet away.

Try as they might they couldn't revive him.

The funeral had taken place a few days later and not in the city as he had requested to be buried back in his hometown of Podunk. Neither of them were the same since.

Maria stepped forward. "You two did what you could back then. Alright?" The two didn't say a word but looked her straight in the eye.

Judy started to mouth a few words. "I-"

But Delilah stopped her. "The city did well in planning this place."

The pig's voice was stern and she looked all around at the grave markers. "All the gravestones face west, always towards the setting sun. Ushering in a new tomorrow for every time the sun rises on the rest of the city."

Nick looked towards the ground and sure enough (being past high-noon) the shadows pointed east and the lettering faced west.

"We were all saddened at our father's passing, and yes it hurt our family tremendously. But it didn't stop us from being who we are today."

The slight shuffling of the three all looking at the grave made the moment tense.

"It was 32 years ago, we were barely teenagers," said Maria, holding her breath as she smoothed her hoof over the grave marker. "We remember the day that his superior stood at our door and handed our mother a letter. She held us and cried for hours as we were all told that his plane went down and he couldn't be recovered.

"This grave is actually empty, but we come here every year to remember at least some part of him. He meant so much to us, and his family in the Airforce was our family as well."

Judy couldn't look at the grave as she couldn't imagine the feeling. What about Phil's family? she wondered, not knowing if he had any outside of the city.

"But," Delilah spoke up, stopping the doe from further blaming herself. "His sacrifice drove us to find our lot in life. It would do him, and so many others a dishonour to give up."

The pig's hoof traced over her badges as she smiled warmly at the two cops. "I followed in his hoof-prints and joined the Airforce," She tilted her head to the other officer among them. "Maria joined the police to defend the city," Her hoof waved at the last one with them. "And Nora went into social services because our father always taught us to protect the lives of those less fortunate."

Judy and Nick were speechless. Neither of them could have fathomed the influence that one life had on so many others long after they departed.

Nora nodded. "I'm sure you-" Her eyes narrowed and she looked past the two cops. "You there!" she shouted, forcing all eyes to turn and see a deer twisting his hoof on the ground and quizzically staring back. "Pick that cigarette up! This is a grave site, NOT AN ASHTRAY!"

Instantly, the buck shrugged. Delilah grunted. "If you don't pick that up, I'll have you court martialed!"

Taken aback, the buck picked up the carelessly tossed cigarette but and walked away. He mumbled something that none of them cared to hear.

Judy raised a brow at the Assistant Mayor. "I didn't know you could do that."

"Pfft. No," She laughed, "I can't court martial them, but it's fun to say and it shows that he doesn't know exactly what it means. Honestly, I just said that to stop Nora from choking him."

As the aforementioned sister chuckled, they silently acknowledged that Delilah was right: Nora was the one you didn't mess with.

Still, Maria had more for them. "As I was saying. I'm sure that either of you has some story that someone in your family told you."

They stared at each other for a moment when the question came their way. But before either could speak out, Maria started waving by them.

"Heya!" she called, greeting a swiftly approaching wolverine.

The predator casually strode over to them, mindful of the grave markers as they did themselves. When he got to the group, Nick curiously looked at him as if had never seen him before.

In a deep grey shirt and blue jeans, the mustelid smiled at them. The fox raised a brow at the scar on his muzzle and wondered how it got there. Just above that, his left eye was almost bloodshot and below that he was missing a fang.

Maria cleared her throat. "This is Mr. d'EntreMonde. He assisted the city in Nighthowler research." The wolverine greeted them, shaking their paws and hooves all around. The porcine policemammal brightened her smile and continued. "Would you mind telling them about your Great Grandfather?"

The mustelid nodded and began, his accent heavily Furrench. "My Great Grandfather survived WWI. He was lucky to be alive as he was buried under a mound of dirt when the trenches were bombarded. When he was dug up, as well as a few others, they named it the 'Bayonet Trench' as many bayonets were sticking out. He may not have died like his brothers in arms in the trenches, but something died in him because he was never the same.

"So I'll forever honour the memory of his brothers for him, and always be thankful for the soldiers, police officers, firefighters and all those put their lives in danger for the others. Because they are the reason we can be proud to be mammals and not savage animals."

Nick and Judy stood still as the story was told. Now having the insight that such a life was nearly taken, but instead survived the horrors of war, they each had a story to tell.

And it was the fox who went first.

He chuckled and scratched at the nape of his neck. "'Ol Slick used to tell me a story or two."

Judy looked at him with an air of wonder. It wasn't often that he would tell anything about his family at all. "Your father served?"

His tail stopped swishing and he coughed into his paw. "No... no not him. He told me my grandfather was... _enlisted_ ," His ears fell and he looked towards the graves. "And he left the country after his brother died."

Much to Nick's surprise, the three pigs didn't scoff. Instead, he felt a hoof on his arm.

Delilah stared at him and warmly smiled. "Then I don't blame him, Nick." His head craned towards the field of graves and he couldn't help but feel distant. "When you have the kind of fear that grips you to desert, then you shouldn't be on the field. It does more harm to you and your fellows than good."

Giving her a smirk of his own, the pig clasped her hooves together. "I can only hope that he lived a life that exemplified the best of what he was capable."

Stunned by the fact that none of his family was berated for doing what was expected of their species, Nick replied, "Yeah, actually. Mom said he went into veterinary."

The sow acknowledged this with a quick 'mhm' before looking at her father's grave. "You see... not everyone has the heart to serve, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't work hard towards a goal that's suited to them. Carelessly throwing your life away as fodder isn't good at all.

"And we need mammals that can accept that. To acknowledge that one's fears would impede them and those around them. Not everyone's suited for the rage of war. Honour. Bravery. Integrity. It isn't just for those that fought in a war, but for those who serve others to the best of their abilities as well. So whether protecting and serving here or there, be true to yourself, and give it your all."

Judy didn't know what to say. _Did I give it my best_? she thought.

She had frozen in the middle of a chase, let her fear impede her, and failed one of her own. But... did she give it her best? Could her acting quickly have saved a life or made another grave?

Before she could answer herself, Maria asked her, "Do you have a story, Hopps?"

The spotlight falling on her, Judy mulled over anything she may have known and gave a little smile from what she had to share. "Grandpa did have a few," she began, tapping her foot and thinking to her own dilemma. "He told us about the good old days and how difficult it was on the field. How often he heard so many say 'if they had a second more', 'or if they moved then they would have been gone'."

The three pigs nodded, Nora was the one to tell her, "And what matters, Judy is that you learn from this and do your best. You weren't at fault for what happened, you weren't the one behind the wheel. We just hope that the short bond you all shared will bring fond memories and give you the strength to make this a better place."

Now encouraged that she did try and didn't know what could have happened if things went differently, Judy's ears stood up a little. Thought they were essentially still hanging on her shoulders, she could hear heavy footsteps approaching.

"Alright, Fluffbutts!" It was Friedkin who stood just on the other side of the graves, just outside of earshot. Though, to her, it was _still_ in shouting distance. "We got places to go you two! So stop hangin' around the three little pigs and let's move."

The mustelid among them eyed the bear and she smiled.

As the fox and bunny made their way over and waved goodbyes to the Swinton sisters, both of them caught a little bit of their conversation.

"Honestly, when is she going to ask him out?" asked Delilah.

There was a little snicker of laughter before Maria replied, "The same day you ask yours."

The last thing they heard as they set foot back on the path was a gasp and a howl.

Neither cop knew where they'd be going next, but from the hasted pace of the polar bear, they could only assume it would be a learning experience.

* * *

Hey all, I hope you're enjoying the story so far.

Special thanks to all who shared their stories here, as well as two guest appearances. Thank you all for this, and I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day and got to thank a vet or remember a story about a loved one.

That being said, there are two more chapters and I hope to leave behind a little something for all of you ^_^

**[Other Sites]**

This story can be seen here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

Happy Memorial Day  
**-DLW**


	3. Shepherds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See the inspirational art here:
> 
> ([R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R](http://thewinterbunny.deviantart.com/art/R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R-680706662/)) (Winter's DA)
> 
> ([Remembering-at-the-Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier](http://jknight97.deviantart.com/art/Remembering-at-the-Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier-680715603/)) (JKnight's DA)

Hey all. And so the story continues. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright, Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

A huge thank you goes out to JKnight97 for reading and editing the final copy of the chapter and his overall inspiration to the story, and TheWinterBunny for the art that was commissioned and inspired me.

Special thank you goes to: Sergeant Sargent II, Senestran, Spinster 4 hire, Starwisher Midnight, Froststudios45, and Drummer Max for allowing me to either use their characters or sharing a story in honour of Memorial Day.

* * *

Shepherds

* * *

For a long while, Judy and Nick briskly paced side by side. The sun had started its slow decline and their only semblance of conversation was the jeers of the polar bear telling them to keep up followed by one of her signature nicknames. And though to some it would seem demeaning, to them it was a welcome reprieve of familiarity.

She would shout at them without even turning back, and admittedly her insults were better from their academy days. There were new things like 'Twinkle Toes', 'Berry Bandit', and 'Sandy Cheeks' for Nick mixed in with the old stuff like 'Foxy Loxy', 'City Boy', and her personal favourite, 'Chew Toy'.

The fox was fascinated that it took all of two words to insult either of them, but it was a bit unfair as he got more names than the bunny. Whether it was due to his antics at the academy or at the police station, he couldn't tell.

Still, Nick didn't know how to feel about everything that was going on around them. He had experienced deaths before: family, friends, complete strangers while hustling. However, this was different for reasons he couldn't put a paw on. Maybe because his actions had a direct effect on the outcome? He wasn't sure.

He had never been to the memorial park before in his long stay in the city. He just didn't see the real need to come here as he wasn't exactly what one would call patriotic in any way.

He had only come for Judy, to give her moral support, but it slowly dawned on him that he was also here for something more. Guilt? Closure? Penance?

He knew Judy still felt as though she was responsible for the loss of Phil. Her ears hadn't budged or stood since they left the graves, and her usual bubbly self was starting to become mired in apathy; unable to process Phil's death.

Nick understood her emotions all too well. She was starting to become like the old Nick; the worst side of his former self laid bare for all to see. It was the part of him he could no longer stomach ever since he became her partner.

So Nick - in his own Nick Wilde way - devised a way to cheer his bunny up. He knew how Judy worked, and she knew his antics. Well, most of them anyways. And that was a good thing as it allowed him wiggle room to try something new.

Carefully, he raised a paw at her unaware form.

His thought was to distract her from her inner turmoil by tapping her on the cheek and asking her if she thought Bogo really was secretly 'more than yelling friends' with Friedkin.

In raising his paw to do so, Judy turned to face him with thoughts of her own getting to her. However, when she felt his digit press against her nose, she reeled backward.

Nick didn't often catch Judy off-guard, but this one was hilarious to him. The bunny's nose twitched and she gave him an incredulous stare that went beyond anything he had ever seen on her before.

 _I'll just have to keep that in mind for later_ , he thought, mentally bookmarking the idea of pestering her playfully.

Taking a paw to rub her nose (though it only tickled) Judy started her retort. She took a deep, agitated breath when a loud voice stopped her.

"Alright, fluffbutts. We're here." said Friedkin, stopping on a dime and looking at a building up a small flight of stairs.

The two smaller mammals looked up at both it and her. Friedkin seemed to linger altogether, eyes intently focused on whatever this place was.

This close, it looked like a mausoleum or museum of sorts. Amber-white walls and arching designs gave it the feel of both presence and absence. It was like looking at both a grave and a commons all at once.

Curious, Judy asked, "What is this place?" But the answer she waited for from her superior was far different from what she expected.

Friedkin snapped to attention, saluting towards the building as a figure approached them.

"Tigerson!" shouted the bear, never wavering from her stance as a tiger stood at the top of the steps, saluting her back.

"Friedkin!" said the tiger, ending his salute and casually striding towards them.

He, much like the others wore formal attire and had his vest decorated with numerous medals. One even bore a striking resemblance to his stripes with the added feature of several small stars.

Both now at ease, the bear nodded towards Nick and Judy. "This, Officers, is Lieutenant Colonel Tigerson."

Immediately, the two cops saluted before hearing a deep chuckle from the two towering predators.

"At ease," said the tiger, waving at them.

They held a silence for a moment before Friedkin heaved a heavy sigh. "You mind showin' 'em the ropes here?" she asked, pointing to the building before looking down the pathway. "I got a pig and a wolf to wrangle."

Tigerson's eyes gleamed. "Absolutely," He clapped his paws together and waved the two forward towards the building.

As Friedkin bellowed a 'goodbye' of sorts, Nick couldn't help but wonder if the Mayor and Assistant Mayor were 'just friends' as well.

Shrugging and forcing the thought to the back of his mind, the fox pressed on with Judy.

Along the short path that lead to the building, they both looked up to the lettering above the doorway. And while they knew this to be 'Meadowlands Memorial Park', the posting above reading, 'Meadowlands Memorial Hall'.

The large door was as ornate as it was simple: carved with simple outlines of species that even a child could identify.

Pushing it inward, the tiger ushered them through, and it was _not_ what they expected.

Judy - for her train of thought - believed that there would be rows upon rows of caskets lining the walls from top to bottom while they were to learn the name of nearly each and every mammal that was there.

Nick - much to his surprise - expected to see many mammals there for them to speak to like the Swinton's, and for them each to give them advice about the guilt they felt and how their work changes lives to any degree.

Both minds couldn't fathom what they saw in front of them, around them, below them, and most _assuredly_ above them.

For the hallway glistened with soft, ambient blue lighting from floor to ceiling. Little dots calmly swayed to and fro, blinking ever so often as they went in.

Each wall was lined with little nicknacks and phrases behind glass paneling. To their left, there was a vintage silver lighter and some scrawl that they could barely read as ' _Last Light'_. To the right of them was a small row of bullet cases; all different shapes and lined nearly with the words ' _Names of my Brothers_ ' in clear writing under it.

And beyond them, towards the center of the massive building was a large, golden-yellow cone like object. It nearly stretched from the ground the domed ceiling, and small lights around it shimmered almost happily.

"What is this place?" they both asked, unaware that something like this existed in Zootopia.

They didn't really expect an answer, but their curiosity and fascination lead their steps in awe and wonder. Yet, when they were answered, it wasn't by the tiger's voice.

"I can answer that." A smaller, soothing voice replied from just behind them.

Startled, they both jumped, twisting themselves around to see a sheep standing there idly.

Questioning how the mammal got there, both cops gasped as they traced over its features: smaller than the average sheep (Dawn's size), barely any wool save for their tail and head (like Dawn), glasses (like Dawn), hooves folded behind them (like Dawn), and smiling (the same way Dawn did when she had them cornered).

Everything about this sheep _screamed_ Dawn Bellwether, and they took a step back, paws hovering over where their ZPD issued tranq guns would have been had they been on duty.

The few things that separated this sheep's features from Dawns were that their wool was darker (the lighting made it a little brighter), and they were a little too... robust to be a ewe (small horns barely jutted out from their wool).

So no, this was no Dawn Bellwether. They both sighed in relief.

The odd sheep approached them, a slight limp in his step. "Back already, Tigerson?"

Amicable as his question was, the tiger chuckled back. "Yeah, a little bear asked me for help with these two."

The sheep looked at the officers nonplussed as he sighed, "Scott, It's been less than two minutes since I saw you walk out."

Tigerson gave a shrug, he knew this would happen. "You know I can't stay away from this place too long 'Lil Horn. I love all their stories."

With a wave of his hoof and seeing the tiger off, the sheep stepped up to Nick and Judy. He stopped in front of them and gave them a quizzical look as if he were studying them entirely.

For a moment of silence, his greenish-blue eyes traced over them and soon his expression brightened. "Ah, Officers Hopps and Wilde, correct?"

While it was common for mammals to know the two cops that saved the city, seeing as they were the only pair of fox and rabbit partners in the ZPD, it was unusual to have someone not gawk at them for a long while.

It was refreshing to them as they each nodded.

"Splendid! It's a pleasure to have you here. I'm Chorin Wolfson, _Rin_ for short," He extended his hoof for them to shake which they did hastily. Afterward, he paced past them a few steps, glancing at the tiger who only smiled back. Shrugging, he waved the officers forward. "This is the Memorial Hall, north side. I can assume why you're here."

The duo looked at one another, hesitant to answer, but yet dumbfounded as to how to reply. As they mulled over something fitting, Rin hoofed his way towards the glowing golden pillar and waved.

"I'm sure you're both shaken up about what happened to the officer on your patrol, yes?" Stopping before entering the larger hall, Rin looked back at them and smiled. Their collective 'yes' with their heads bowed made it all more apparent of what he needed to say.

Nodding, he cleared his throat. "Tell me, Officers, have you ever heard of the story of the 'Kipos War Shepherd'?"

Wordlessly eyeing each other, they shook their heads in unison; they knew that the sheep had an epic to tell. Nodding his head, he began.

"It was about a hundred years ago; before we had any way of keeping secure and accurate records, this much we know about the event that turned the tide in the war. The conflict was very short; three years in fact. It started as most wars do: disagreement, hatred, and injustice. The sad truth is it sparked off spats that turned into a declaration that sent many to their graves. Warring sides included several nations and a few countries over a spot of land across seas.

"While the details aren't exactly clear, there was quite a large number of mammals that went to war from the developing city of Zootopia. Both predators and prey alike, they went overseas to aid others though still having issues of their own."

He paused for a moment, mulling over a few thoughts before strolling towards the column.

"Do you know what went wrong?" Though he asked this, he didn't let them answer. "Everyone _hated_ everyone else. Though they were on the same side, allies and all, they couldn't stand one another. Mammal against mammal, predator against prey, species against species; it would turn into a civil war if they could not stop hating each other and work together.

"There's little record of the time it took, but the accounts we do have say after many were slaughtered in the beginning of the last year of the war, change started to happen because of a small group working together. A small regiment containing many factions of armed forces: Army, Navy, Marines, Air-force. If they were trained, then they would fight.

"They were composed of predators and prey of all manner of species, the number of which was no greater than the low twenties. And with such few remaining, they made the difference that turned the tides of war. For they had found a shepherd among them.

"Being cut off and holed up in an encampment, they decided that it was better to go out fighting their enemy instead of turning on one another because of their differences. They were surrounded, wounded, and low on supplies. Knowing that the end was near, they banded together and fought back to breach the enemy lines in ambushes, infiltrations, and other small missions while cut off from their supply routes and communications.

"The last known record of their squad says that there were twelve left by the end, half predator, and half prey. And when they returned, they came here to this ground and told everyone what they saw: the horrors of war and the need for all to work together for peace. They were praised for their bravery and constantly pestered as to who their shepherd was. The public said constantly that it was the sheep, Jacob Herdsmen.

"Many attributed their success to him, but he dutifully declined. He said that he was in fact not their shepherd. When asked on his deathbed as to who the shepherd was, he finally told them. He said that the shepherd was none of them, not a single one. But it was their beliefs, their goals and bonds that pushed them forward on the field that day.

"Had it not been for the common ground they all shared - a hope for a brighter future - then Zootopia would have fallen. Their world would have crumbled to dust. It took more than their biologies - be they predator or prey - to change the world. It took the courage to stand, the heart to love, and their bonds to unite in order to see that goal to the end."

He stopped, hooves clasped behind him while he stared up at the column. The soft glow catching the eyes of the cops, they gasped in awe that it wasn't just a pillar of sorts, it was a large tree. Judy recognized it as a Fraser Fir just by the looks of it while Nick's mind wondered about Christmas at the end of this year.

Rin reached up and gently seized one of the golden-green branches with his hoof. Bringing it down, he smiled at them and glided his hoof off of some metal piece hanging from it. And though its branches rustled oddly due to it being a replica tree, the duo stared in wonder none the less.

Rin continued, "It's... unclear of who started this tradition; of who thought of honouring all with a tree that 'Sprang forth to reach the heavens'. Some say it was the sheep among them, _others_ (myself included) say the giraffe, the tiger, squirrel... elephant. But it didn't matter as they came together at this very spot, banded the lost tags of their fallen comrades, climbed to the top of a tree," climbed to the top of a tree," as he mumbled something about an elephant sized crater that was filled in eventually, "and placed it there as a star that watched over all of them. They themselves hung their badges of honour on the branches. "

Judy and Nick walked forward, each wanting to see this up close. Both their paws reached out for a single branch that was close to them and they got a closer look; the sheep was right.

For the branch was covered with small badges, ribbons, and medals. A few they recognized as from their own precinct, and others from the ZFD not too far away. Shocked that this existed, they looked at Rin, practically begging for answers.

He obliged. "This tree is for all those who have served and retired. Well... and some who their family still considers serving though they are deceased. Many come to hang their old badges on it, proudly displaying their honour for all to see should they visit."

Nick, eyes glued to the badges and feeling lost, could only think of his lost friend. To him, Phil was still there serving with them, he hadn't said anything about retirement, it was too early. Still, holding these badges and medals of honour in his paw, he could only wonder. "Carrots, did you know about that?"

Though informal, they were off-duty, and she didn't mind the name in public at all. Shaking her head, Judy replied, "I went home last Christmas, Nick. I didn't get to see the tree. Bogo gave me two weeks off because of the Nor'easter. He didn't know how I'd fare in the storm."

Judy's paw brushed against one of the many badges there. One in particular, a ZFD badge, she held close to her. She remembered the stories that her brother told her while he was on duty; the fires he endured, the lives saved, how the burrows were constantly watched.

She wondered if they had something like that over there as well. _I'll call him later today_.

As if reading their minds, Rin released the branch and took a step back. "Every precinct, fire station, and emergency service in Zootopia follows this shining example every year. On Memorial Day they lower their flags at half mast until the afternoon where they wave the banner high."

He started to wave them over towards a nearby wall, and when they followed him, they could see a row of badges placed out on a shelf near a kiosk as if they were ready to be placed on the tree.

"Then, around Christmas, they set out a tree for those retired and have roots in their community, the pillar of courage for those that served and protected. Every badge that they hang is a story of love and loss, a decoration of honour and a coat of arms."

Rei had taken to inspecting each one, mumbling a name or two until his hoof froze. And bearing a grin, he turned back to them.

"And above every tree, they hang the badges of those that fell. Shimmering stars of sacrifice and bravery, an example of what it means to lay down your life for another. They will forever shine down on us as their lives guided us to make a difference while we still are able."

The two cops froze. Trailing their ways to the ceiling, the soft blue twinkling of lights reignited their curiosity. Both their jaws hanging on hinges, they strained their eyes to take a closer look.

"Those... those are _badges_?!" Judy asked, her eyes twinkling with the light of a thousand, thousand stars.

Picking up one such badge and a notepad, the sheep gave them an odd stare. He scratched his wool nervously with a spare pen. "Well... they're replicas; ornaments if you will," he admitted. "There was a whole thing with real badges, weak wiring, a kid... and since we can't afford that kind of suit _again_ -"

He shuddered at the thought, ambling his way toward them with a hoof waved. "Never forget that every badge shares a story, and every star has a name."

Rin looked down at the replica in his hoof with a somber smile. When he held it out to them and Nick took it in his paws, a deep gasp filled the chamber.

Not knowing what it was, Judy took hopped over to him to have a look and gasped as well.

The polished hard plastic replica of a brass badge fitted with the ZPD logo and star held the name: Kyle S. Phillips. A small blue light blinked in its center; it's rhythm like the beat of a heart.

Reverently, the two held the memorabilia as if it were a fragile kit in their paws. A memento of the friend and fellow service-mammal that they barely knew.

"Can you tell me the story of his badge?" the sheep asked, adjusting his glasses. "We're still collecting data for each one."

"Data?" Judy muttered.

Rin tutted, "It's a surprise."

They silently stood as Nick clutched the badge tighter. Out of the two of them, he had known Phil a little more. It was his responsibility to tell them.

"He was... a really nice guy. I dragged him into a few office pranks, but one went wrong because he didn't like the sound of thunder." Eyes tired, he smoothed his paw over the lettering. Short as their time may have been, he did garner a few things from the possum. He smirked, remembering one key detail. "Heh... he wasn't photogenic at all."

"NICK!" Judy shouted, elbowing him. _How could he say that_? she questioned. _He's gone, and that's how you remember him_?

Before she could get further, Rin intervened. "No, Ms. Hopps," he huffed, stepping forward and tapping on the badge. "I'd like to hear this one."

For a moment, Judy didn't understand how Nick could joke about their friend, and why the sheep wanted to hear more. Yet... though gone, Phil was still their friend. So with a sigh, Judy patiently waited for her partner to speak.

Now given the chance to tell the tale, Nick took a deep breath and let the memory return.

"I, uh... snuck up on him with a selfie once," As if a sparked by the words, Nick reached into his pocket to fish for his cell phone. The moment he had it, he opened the camera app and found the pictures he was looking for. In showing it to them, they saw a blue eyed possum staring back (completely zoned out) with a fox smiling next to him. "His blank stare had me in stitches the whole time."

Seemingly enthralled with the details, the sheep scribbled something hastily on the pad. "Then I'll have to add that. May I have the badge back?" Clicking his pen, he held up his hoof and Nick returned the ornament.

Setting both pad and badge on the shelf, the sheep cleared his throat. "Well, if there anything more that I can assist you with here, I'll be around."

There had indeed been something on Judy's mind since they saw the sheep. His apparel wasn't like any of the others, she had to know. "Wait. Where did you serve?"

Humming at the question, Rin shrugged. "I never got a chance to serve, Ms. Hopps," he said tiredly. "I was in the ROTC program when I was in college, but I never got a chance to finish due to an accident with a drunk driver."

When he said this, Judy couldn't help but gasp at both the horror and idea of losing one's dream.

He waved them off. "It's fine, my cousin went on tour and he turned out just fine."

Relieved that Rin had at least some semblance of a life well lived, Judy sighed. _What would I do_? she asked herself. _If I had to retire earlier than expected_?

She couldn't fathom it no matter how hard she tried to think; quitting just wasn't in her.

Both cops casting their heads towards the ceiling, the gentle sway of blue lights calmed their inner thought. The idea that they may end up there was both peaceful and heartbreaking. Neither wanted that so soon, if ever.

It wasn't until they heard "Wilde. Hopps." that they snapped to attention.

Just down the hallway, a bright smiling wolf approached them.

"Mayor?" mumbled Judy, watching the canid nearly stumble forward and drop his book.

Composing himself and staring awkwardly at the sheep, Luproc smiled. "Hey, 'Lil Horn," he teased. "How's my favourite curator."

Tapping his hoof in mild annoyance, Rin grinned back. "Just fine, Lupric," He knew he was going to be scolded, but went on to say, "Or is it, ' _Deadshot_ '? I'll have to ask Swinton about that one."

The flustered look on the wolf's face said it all, but still, Rin chuckled. "Still up for the reunion later?"

Grumbling a 'yes' the wolf padded his way to the door. "Come along, officers. There's one last stop in the park that your chief wanted you to see."

Neither cop hesitated in following his orders as they followed their mayor out of the building. Yet, before they left, both of them took one last glimpse at the tree, the pillar of honour for their community that sprang forth to the heavens; and the stars above, the sacrifice that so many gave to protect what they believed in.

As they stood in the doorway, both Judy and Nick stood at attention and saluted the tree as their way of paying their respects to those who had gone before them.

* * *

Hey all, I hope you're enjoying the story so far. One more chapter to go.

Huge thanks to DrummerMax64 for allowing me to use a Zootopified version of his uncle: Tigerson.

Also, many thanks to the vet and serving friends and family that I spoke to and told me about the traditions that they had. One told me about the ornaments and pictures they hang on their Christmas tree, and others told me about hanging name/dog tags as ornaments to remember their friends and family.

**[Other Sites]**

This story can be seen here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

Happy Memorial Day  
**-DLW**


	4. Remembrance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See the inspirational art here:
> 
> ([R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R](http://thewinterbunny.deviantart.com/art/R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R-680706662/)) (Winter's DA)
> 
> ([Remembering-at-the-Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier](http://jknight97.deviantart.com/art/Remembering-at-the-Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier-680715603/)) (JKnight's DA)

Hey all. And so the story comes to a close. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright, Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

A huge thank you goes out to JKnight97 for reading and editing the final copy of the chapter and his overall inspiration to the story, and TheWinterBunny for the art that was commissioned and inspired me.

Special thank you goes to: Sergeant Sargent II, Senestran, Spinster 4 hire, Starwisher Midnight, Froststudios45, and Drummer Max for allowing me to either use their characters or sharing a story in honour of Memorial Day.

* * *

Remembrance

* * *

It was a lot more calming as the two cops trailed behind their Mayor. The evening sun had begun to dip over the horizon, deep orange shadows stretched over them under every tree they waled by.

To say that they were overwhelmed would be an understatement. Neither of them expected to be part of the rite being held at the memorial park that day, yet glad for the opportunity to be part of the solemnity and experience the pride of the veterans up close. It was as much of a joyous occasion as it was a sobering reminder. For they both secretly looked forward to the day of their retirement in honour, but didn't want their end to come so soon.

Still, being here was exactly what they needed. It helped them to come to terms that they couldn't change everything, that 'making the world a better place' could come at a steep price. And though that was a reality, the two decided that it would be a dishonour to those who had given up their lives to just quit.

"My cousin. I tell ya'."

Their silence was broken by the rambling wolf ahead of them. He had been mumbling and muttering things on and off from the moment they left the building.

Apparently, he was very animated in his speech, gesticulating fervently with nearly every word. "Every time I see that sheep he reminds me of the one time... _ONE TIME_ that I messed up!" His paws darting skyward and his tail twitching every second, the wolf looked on the verge of a breakdown when he rubbed the bridge of his snout. "It's not my fault that Delilah and I were distracted then."

Judy clearly remembered the sow showing a hole in her ear. It was kind of like the one Nick's academy classmate had; whenever she asked the hare about it, he kept dodging the question or had some weird story.

She couldn't help but wonder what happened. Although, something more urgent came to mind. "Wait. Rin is your _cousin_?"

The wolf, ears perked up and peering behind him, gleefully nodded. "Oh! Sure, sure," he boasted proudly. "He's adopted on my father's side, and he's a bit crazy if you ask me; _very_ dedicated to what he does, though."

Nick and Judy stared at one another for a moment while letting it sink in. They both knew of other species adopting outside of their perceived comfort zone - prey adopting predators, and predators adopting prey - but it was so rare and far between that it was often viewed as farfetched.

And yet, here was their acting mayor not only confirming it to be true, but to a sheep at that? It brought a warm smile to both of their muzzles.

Letting his limbs fall to his side, he gave a huff of relief. "I'm just glad he's alright."

The grimacing look on the wolf's muzzle brought a pang of sorrow to Judy. Ever the compassionate bunny, she had to ask, "What do you mean?"

For a moment, the wolf carefully gazed around, soaking in the environment as if he were searching for someone. Though there were a few other mammals peppered about far away - one such being a familiar looking badger dressed in cammo slacks and a white lab coat - Luproc closed the distance between himself and the cops. "You saw him limping, right?" he asked, leaning over discreetly. They both nodded. "Never tell him that I said this, okay," Animated as he was, the wolf sighed and flicked his paw in a waving motion. "I know he wanted to go on tour as he always talked about his dream of serving, but I'm glad he didn't come with me. It was... a ruthless struggle and I lost a lot of friends there."

He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts while the officers looked on. Feeling relief and sorrow, he continued with gusto, "I don't know much about the accident, I wasn't there. I was out at a bar with friends still celebrating our soon to be complete Basic training... I do remember it being about a drunk driver who ended up just fine afterward- don't they usually." he said with a light chuckle and an almost silent growl. "Yeah, 'ol Rin ended up with a plate in his head, fake horn and..."

Impassioned in his speech, the mayor stopped for a moment. He locked eyes with both cops before he took a deep breath and looked across the horizon. "Every time I see him, I'm reminded of what more I could have lost. I'm forever grateful for the first responders that got to him as quickly as they did, he wouldn't have lived otherwise," He scratched the nape of his neck sheepishly. "Made me rethink driving that night after a few rounds. I even stopped thinking of Memorial day as 'just the last break before summer' when he was still in a coma."

Judy had often reminded herself of the same dangers, the same kind of tragedies that happened here and there in the burrows. Where so many had their life's dream cut short by something sudden and unknown; it was heartbreaking to hear of the stories.

Nick wasn't averse to the scenario either. Sure he had Finnick to help him every now and then, but even he wasn't above the law in that regard; though the little fox could hold his own better than anyone else he knew.

Luproc shook his head. "I know he's upset from it all, but still, he's happy to have found a place in life. And we've got a lot to look forward to." His sudden change in demeanor from somber to jubilant was a little startling. "Like the family barbecue! This year we're doing salmon tacos!"

The wolf, paws raised to the heavens and salivating didn't see the city's poster cops eyeing him like he had grown another head. Coughing, Judy tried to talk him down. "Uh I don't think he'd be interested in that."

Lupric, upon hearing the naysaying of the bunny, barked out a sharp laugh, "HA! You don't know 'ol Rin like I do," His singsong voice was very unbecoming of him. "He out-ate _me_ last year when we did cicada burgers."

The doe was silenced, but the tod snickered a little. It was unorthodox, to say the least, that a prey mammal would even dare to eat food directly part of a predator's diet. Uncommon, yes. Nonexistent, no.

"Anyhoo," the lupine commented, turning his back on them, staring at a long pathway that led up to a hill as the orange sunset beamed down upon it like a shining beacon. "There's one last thing for you two to see."

Not bothering to hear their plight if there was any, the wolf stepped forward onto an offshoot of a path. With the footsteps behind him, he proceeded along with his final showcase of the park.

"Any clue as to what this place is?" he asked, catching the telltale sound of foot-claws clicking feet away.

It was a moment before he heard the response, "The Green Mile? _Augh_ -"

The mayor shook his head and kept going. He had often heard of Nick's antics and his partner correcting him when he spoke to Bogo. And despite their mishaps (including those of Nick when he had first joined the force) they were the perfect complement to one another.

"No, Officer Wilde," the wolf chuckled, stopping where two paths split before them. "This is the 'Path of Remembrance'. It leads up to a single monument up ahead."

True from his word, Nick and Judy saw two clear paths before them with a sign at the crossway. Made of simple concrete, evenly spaced, and equidistant from the small monolith, both roads were precisely the same. They stood parallel to one another and trailed up to what they could both see as a large hewn stone at the crest of the hill.

Before either could ask what that meant, the wolf continued, "And what the chief and I want you to do, is walk up to the monument and see what it says."

Simple enough of a task. Walk and see the sight. But what intrigued them was what they would learn here as well. Then again, one couldn't help but wonder-

"Where is Chief Buffalo Butt anyways?"

Nick, having asked the question, received a light jab from Judy. To her, it meant that he was being obnoxious in the face of what should be an enriching albeit somber experience. To him... it meant that she was feeling better. Her ears even perked up a little.

Luproc laughed at their 'buddy buddy' display of friendship. It reminded him a lot of his old days. "Funny, I called him that when he became chief," he admitted, gaining a chastising look from Judy but a smug grin from Nick. He looked off to the sunset and gave a warm, broken smile. "He's off visiting his brother."

Judy was the first to hop to a question. "He has a brother?!"

This was news to the two of them. Bogo never mentioned any family, ever. Then again, he barely said anything other than to yell orders, chastise over failed deadlines, and reprimand over poor work etiquette. There was the occasional praise, but that was for someone that actually did something- to which Nick found that fixing a copying machine that he broke _wasn't_ one.

Coughing over his own words, Luproc tried again. "What? No, he- Brother in arms." he reaffirmed, getting varying looks of perplexity back. "He's off to pay his respects."

Judy muttered an 'oh' before her paws crisscrossed themselves and wrapped around her shoulders. She didn't want to hear much more of this, much more of anything. She wanted to just go back home and... well she didn't know what.

Yet the moment she huffed to relieve even the slightest amount of stress, Nick's paw tightened around her. She looked up to him, amethyst eyes on the brim of sorrow, and silently thanked him with a smile. He acknowledged her thanks by gently drawing her closer.

Judy, unbeknownst to her, started twitching her tail. She didn't know if any of her family had ever heard of the memorial park in Zootopia's Meadowlands - there was the Memorial Wall in Bunnyburrow that showed the names of thousands of servicemammals - but she knew now that she was going to have to pay her respects to them with Nick along. Besides, her parents would be more than happy to see Nick again.

Nodding in confirmation, the wolf waved his paw to usher them forth. "I want you to walk this path," he commanded, features sharply fixed forward.

Without a second word, the two went off, taking the path to the right. But before they got any further than two steps, they heard the mayor shout, "No! Walk on separate paths!"

Startled, they turned around to see what had gotten into him. He abruptly pointed to Nick first. "You walk there," He pointed his claw to the left, getting a raised brow from the both of them. Still, compliant - for one of the few times in his life - Nick shrugged and trudged over. The wolf then pointed at Judy. "And you, there." His paw never left the path that she would walk, the one on the right.

It was when they had finally looked across the way, that they realized they were separated. It wasn't good, and both looked for some kind of distraction. Thankfully, Judy found one in the form of the small sign that parted their way.

"Mayor Luproc," she began, eyeing the sign fervently. "This side says 'Predators'." While it was more of a question than a statement in the way she said it, she figured it was a mistake that the mayor had her there. Though... it left another question. "She's right, Lupri-" Nick, more comfortable with nicknames, was about to call him 'Lupric' like his peers, but swallowed instead from the glare he received. He adjusted his tie. "This one says 'Prey'. So I think you have us on the wrong side."

Both cops nodded towards one another in confirmation. They sought to remedy the mishap by simply walking to the other path, but they were halted immediately.

Luproc stood in their way. "I know they do," he confirmed, staring stalwartly ahead. "But I want you to understand why you should walk those paths."

The old adage, 'walk in another's hooves' (or paws for that matter) came to mind.. And as the two cops stood silently, they looked forward without further questioning the mayor's intentions.

Both taking deep breaths they walked onward, each on separate sides of the pathways that led to one central point..

It was here that their minds started to wander.

Judy started off thinking what could lie in wait for them at the top, however, the greenery around her soon distracted her. Her amethyst eyes glazed across the sea of vibrant green and passionate red just before her. And what was odd was that the red colour wasn't Nick for once- though he did continue to stare at her with an awkward smile.

But when Judy looked closer, the hilltop was bathed in an orange-red glow that she knew she had seen before. They were plants of some kind and she mentally ticked off which ones they could be. _Rose_? _No, they'd need bushes_. _Chrysanthemums_? _Not likely_. _Dahlia_? _Hibiscus_? _Marigold_?

No matter the name, she couldn't get it quite right, she needed to get closer. Although she felt weird walking up the path designated for predators, she was happy to meet up with Nick again at the end. Tilting her head towards him and seeing the hill not too far away, she realized it wouldn't be long; he was her partner after all.

Nick pondered every little thing that happened. He was relieved that Judy was feeling a little better, though she wouldn't say it off the bat. Seeing her across the way made him feel both proud, and small. He would absolutely do anything to be there by her side, the distance between them meant nothing in that regard.

Yet part of him was terrified of any other possibility. Even being on the prey side of the path made him feel... _closer_?

The whisper of the word brought fond memories to him, even if it was only for a few short months that he served currently. And in that speck of time, he had appreciated all the memories he had, and friendships forged. More so, he was truly - for the first time in much of his adult life - happy to have someone there for him.

Nick and Judy locked eyes with another as they reached the first step up the hill. Just beyond the set of parallel stairs, they strained to see what the fuss was all about having them come to this particular area.

They stepped forward in unison as a team again. As partners. It wasn't a challenge to them, but they both felt something about it, a sense of reverence to mix with the importance and symbolism of it all. For they ascended together.

Each step was an obstacle that they would overcome, each breath reminded them both that it could be their last together, and each smile and smirk they shared would become a memory that they would share forever.

By the time they reached the hilltop, Judy was ready for more and Nick was keeping it together while trying to pass off as though he didn't need to catch his breath.

It was here that Judy truly gasped at the spectacle before them, she could finally identify the plant and so much more.

"Papaveroideae..." she whispered, seeing a field of poppies all around her.

Having reached the end, she looked at all of the plants and wondered why they would be here. Sure they had plenty of the species in the Burrows, most of which, _in fact_ , were near the memorial ground.

Puzzled at the coincidence, Judy called out, "Nick!" Waving him over, she wanted to ask him what his thoughts were. "What do you think... about..."

Looking up, she saw the fox carefully looking around from the shoulders of brown bear that she hadn't seen before. Large and in a deep blue vest, he knelt before the monument that they had seen so far away; Judy placed her paws over her mouth.

"Sorry," she apologized in a whisper. "I didn't know that anyone else was-"

"It's alright." the ursine said in a deep, bellowing chuckle. He never looked in either of their directions.

Questioning why Nick was smiling at her, Judy was about to ask, but Nick beat her to it. "Carrots, this is Augustus Ghrizly. 'Gus' for short." said the fox, waving at the bear. He only nodded in kind.

It wasn't a surprise for Judy that Nick would know the bear's name, he (supposedly) knew everybody... To which Judy found it was only mostly true, he sometimes played it off as he didn't remember a name or two.

"You've come to see the memorial too, yes?" Gus asked, his tone akin to Bogo's calmer soothes.

Judy looked up at the stone, walking around to where Nick was on its right, and, for a moment, her heart skipped a beat.

For on the stone was written: 'HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY A ZOOTOPIAN SOLDIER'.

It's surface, bathed in the late shadow of the sun setting behind it, allowed any and all to see its face just before the light faded over the horizon. Yet... its foundation was familiar to both of them.

On its smoothed carved surface it read: 'Predators' on the left side and 'Prey' on the right.

A sudden flash of a memory came back to the doe, she knew exactly what this was now.

"This is the tomb of the unknown soldier." a voice called out, neither hers nor Nick's. It was Gus'. The bear smiled brightly as he looked at the two cops. Judy felt small comparatively, and Nick walked over to the other side to see the predator side up close.

A gentle breeze wafted by them, bringing hundreds of flower petals to sweep across the memorial stone. And a faint glimmer of light warmed their fur. When they looked up to see the sun giving them one final goodbye for the day, they could see alongside it the countless sea of stars eager to take the night watch.

"I come here every year on Memorial Day, and on Remembrance Day as well," The bear's sudden somber tone drew both Nick and Judy to take a deep, thoughtful look at the memorial stone. "The poppies are in bloom and look beautiful. Did you know that poppies were the only plant that grew on the barren battlefields? This is why the poppy is seen as a lasting memorial to the fallen."

 _Poppies_... Judy thought, going back to her plant husbandry lessons and remembering what they symbolized: sleep, peace... and death.

A tear formed in the corner of her eye as she knew, finally knew and understood what this was. It was a hill of rest, watching over the many graves to the west.

Gus continued, "Nobody knows who they were, but they fought to protect the city." Both officers had their eyes glued to not one, but both sides of the stone as one could not be without the other to have peace.

The bear sighed, grazing his large paw over a single poppy. The plant stood tall as he gently smoothed out its petals. "Yet... they would always be remembered for doing their best in the face of danger. That there would be those who would forever stand by their side. They weren't _just_ armed servicemammals, cops, firefighters, and first responders. They weren't _just_ mammals doing their jobs. They were, and _still_ are, family, friends, and loved ones that protected us at the cost of their lives. We owe it to them to keep their memory, not etched in stone, but always in our hearts."

For a long while, nothing was said. Minds reeled as it was bitter sweet to love and lose those who served their time in protecting what they believed in on the behalf of others. And in the short while that they were known, and fought to protect, their lives were cut short and only their memory lived on.

So in staring at the stone before them - not a word was spoken, or thought different - Nick and Judy did as they would in their academy days. Ears raised, and feet squared, they raised their right paws in silence. A salute to those that came before them and paved the paths that they walked and swore to protect. An honour to those that stood by their side in the face of danger. And a promise to remember those that fell defending what they believed in.

For the rest of their lives, Judy and Nick made up in their minds to remember what they had learned her. It wasn't just another day, a passing fancy to some before summer. It was a day to remember, a day to honour and cherish.

A day that they would hold dear in their hearts because it was so close to them. It would be a day established since time immemorial: beyond memory, before record, time-honoured, past the reach of knowledge and tradition.

Never would they forget Memorial Day.

* * *

Hey all, I hope you enjoyed the story to the fullest. I really wanted to do this piece as informative and honourable as possible.

And huge thank you's go out to everyone that made this possible.

The veterans that gave me interesting stories and insight, some of my close family members and friends that are currently serving, JKnight97 for beta reading/editing, TheWinterBunny for the amazing inspirational art piece, Sergeant Sargent II for his inspirational stories and overall feedback, Senestran for his contribution and story, Spinster 4 hire for her added story, Starwisher Midnight for a few good reminders and contribution, and DrummerMax64 for allowing me to use his uncle Tigerson.

**[Trivia]**

JKnight informed me about Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day) which takes place on November 11th each year. It's in honour of those who died serving in the armed forces and remembers those that died in WWI. A tradition is observed '"At the 11th hour" where a moment of silence is held at 11am

Nick and Judy travel from south, to west, to north, to east in the Memorial Park. I have to thank TheWinterBunny for this one as she drew the sun setting behind the memorial in the last chapter.

The Swinton sisters are two homages. The first is the three little pigs (of course), and the second is that their names are tweaks to the Parcae (aka 'three fates' in Roman mythology): Nona (Nora), Decima (Delilah), and Morta (Maria).

The possum, "Kyle S. Philips" is a nod to the 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' character 'Kylie'. His mannerisms, nicknames, and phobias are references.

The Mayor's book in the first chapter, I have no clue where the concept came from.

The Christmas tree tradition is something that a veteran told me about in part, as well as an improvisation from one of my previous stories. I wanted to see if I could symbolize badges as both stars, and a coat of honor.

Bogo and Friedkin are a thing in this... kinda? They won't say. (Friedgo? Fribo? Bofri?Bokin? Yellin' friends? Scream team? I donno, but I don't ship them with anyone else. ^^)

Luproc and Swinton (this version of Swinton) too...

Chorin Wolfosn is an homage to the animated movie 'Chirin's Bell' or 'Chirin's Ringing Bell'. In the movie, a lamb's mother is killed by a wolf, and is then raised by the same wolf. Here, Chorin is actually adopted into a family of wolves. His cousin (by adoption) is the mayor.

Luproc's name has dual meanings. Lup as in lupus, and Lodbrok as in a Norse legend 'Loðbrok' (Ragnar Lodbrok). I got the name from reading Ragna's lore in Blazblue XD

Bogo and Luproc were Rangers, Swinton was in the Airforce, and Friedkin was in the Marine Core.

They all have a background with one another.

Cameos include: Froststudios45 (corsac fox in chapter 2) Senestran (wolverine in chapter 2) DrummerMax64's uncle (Tigerson chapter 3) JKnight (Bear Chapter 4)

**[Other Sites]**

This story can be seen here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

Happy Memorial Day (Be sure to thank a veteran, serviceman, officer, firefighter, first responder, anyone whenever you can)  
**-DLW**


End file.
